The Virginian Palatinate
|connectedresources = |bonusresources = }} The Virginian Palatinate is a small, developing, and young nation at 23 days old with citizens primarily of Jewish ethnicity whose religion is Judaism. It is a backwards nation when it comes to technology and many refer to it unkindly as a 'Third World Nation'. Its citizens pay moderately high tax rates and they are somewhat unhappy in their work environments as a result. The citizens of Virginian Palatinate work diligently to produce Aluminum and Iron as tradable resources for their nation. It is an aggressive country that some say has an itch for war. It believes nuclear weapons are necessary for the security of its people. The Virginian Palatinate nation leaders are aware of the situation of drug use in the country but are too addicted to drugs themselves to do anything about it. Virginian Palatinate allows its citizens to protest their government but uses a strong police force to monitor things and arrest lawbreakers. It welcomes all new immigrants with open borders. Virginian Palatinate detains individuals who participate in slanderous comments about the government. The government of Virginian Palatinate has no compassion for other people of the world and does not contribute to foreign aid. The government of Virginian Palatinate will trade with any other country regardless of ethical consequences. Economy of the Palatinate The Palatinate is a heavily industrialized nation. Having the good fortune to sit upon substantial deposits of both Iron and Aluminum most of the citizens work long hours in one of the many mines, which are operated by several different companies, many of which are owned by one or another of the six powerful families in the Palatinate. The importation of coal has allowed a substantial steel industry to grow in the capital, sponsored by the current Elector's family, the Camparangines, one of the oldest families in the Palatinate. The large McLadema Steelworks is truly the center of the city now and employs almost 80 workers making it the largest employer in the nation. However, the growth of the import industry has also allowed the construction industry to grow, it is mainly split between two rival families the Dachas and the Limszenekskis both of whom also covet the Electoral Staff. Farming is relatively minimal mostly relegated to vegetables and goats, both staples of the Palatine diet. Politics of the Palatinate The Palatinate's politics center around the six major families which control most of the industry, trade and political power in the Palatinate. They provide the Electors, who come to power through a mix of assassination, bribery and horse trading so well developed it is an art form. The six families are of differing ethnic and religious backgrounds but they all share a famed ruthless mindset and greedy self interest that makes Palatine politics so wonderfully exciting. The families are: -The Dachas: The Dachas are an old family of Jewish extraction. They control one of the two large construction conglomerates in the Palatinate, having sold their family mineral claims to pay for the new business. The family patriarch is Ebenezer Dacha, considered to be a relatively poor contender for the Electoral seat. -The Camparangines: The Camparangines are a Catholic family, descendants of French immigrants they used both finance and violence to become an important family. The youngest dynasty only about two-hundred and fifty years old they have finally produced an elector in the form of Charles Camparangine, widely considered a fiscal genius he has lead the nation into the brave new world of international relations, lifting the isolationist curtain from the Palatinate. They are heavily invested in the Steel and Automobile industries. -The Vorcias: The Vorcias are the second oldest family in the Palatinate, after the Tzezecskis, they are the descendants of Emilio Vorcia the leader of a group of Catholic refugees who arrived in the Palatinate after fleeing an angry mobs in their home countries. They brought with them a method of extracting Aluminum from Bauxite which allowed the Vorcias to become very wealthy, as they control 70 percent of the Bauxite mines and 8 of the 9 processing plants. Their patriarch is the elderly Emilio Vorcia VI who is more concerned with profits than politics. -The Silversteins: The Silversteins are a mercantile family, who have always been involved in commerce. With the new high level trade agreements however, they are rolling in dough. The demand for their good and their control of the shipping lines has given them huge leverage in the economic and political realms, which they have parlayed into banking and the large commercial harbor in McLadema. The patriarch Louis Silverstein is considered an excellent candidate for the highest office, though more likely by waiting for the eventual demise of the Elector rather than hurrying it along. -The Limszenekskis: The Limszenekskis are a young family only around three hundred years old but they recently joined the Dachas in selling their family mineral claims to other families as well as a few entrepreneurs to pay for a construction business. The Dachas have become their archrivals in the struggle to control the construction business which has drawn a great deal of interest due to the generally voyeuristic tenancies of the populace. They have a monopoly on the manufacture of asphalt, which has Their patriarch, Daniel Limszenekskis III is a strong ally of Charles Camparangine and seems to have little political ambition. -The Tzezecskis: The Tzezecskis are an incredibly ancient family, whose lineage predates the invention of writing. They are considered to be stiffed necked and traditional to the point of being called Cavemen. They have a long history of being mine owners, they own almost 90% of the Iron mines in the nation and they consider themselves the rightful leaders of the nation, considering almost all of the other six, excluding the Vorcias who are another ancient line. They are notorious for using assassins and arson.